Latest update September 13th, 2026 10:36 AM
Walton claims vindication as Carter Center flags haps in electoral system
(Kaieteur News) – Opposition Member of Parliament Amanza Walton has declared that the final report from the Carter Center on Guyana’s recent elections serves as a “vindication” of concerns raised regarding the country’s proportional representation system.
She contends that the international observer’s findings validate the arguments made by smaller political parties regarding systemic disadvantages.
Amanza Walton
The Carter Center report noted that while Guyana’s electoral system is nominally intended to ensure proportional representation through a “topping up” mechanism, the exclusion of parties from ballots in regions where they do not field candidates limits how accurately the final seat allocation reflects national support. The report specifically stated that this practice denies those parties votes in the presidential contest and hampers their competitiveness, placing parties unable to field candidates in all 10 regions at a distinct disadvantage. “…the exclusion of parties from the ballot in geographical constituencies where they do not field candidates but may enjoy some measure of support limits the extent to which the allocation of seats fully reflects parties’ proportional standing countrywide. This practice also denies those parties votes in the presidential contest, hampering their competitiveness in that election. The implementation of the system places parties that are unable to field candidates in all 10 regions at a disadvantage” the report said.
Reflecting on the findings, Walton noted to Kaieteur News that her previous criticisms of the electoral framework were often met with ridicule and accusations of attention-seeking. She stated that the report confirms their concerns were legitimate democratic issues worthy of serious national discussion rather than “baseless arguments” or a “figment of the imagination.” She emphasised that while the Center may not have adopted every legal argument presented by her side, the report indicates that the underlying question regarding proportionality, inclusivity, and voter choice was real and substantiated.
This assertion stands in contrast to a recent legal setback in the Court of Appeal, which dismissed an appeal filed by Krystal Fisher of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) of which Walton is the head. Fisher had invited the court to declare the National and Regional Elections held in September 2025 unconstitutional because the FGM and the Assembly of Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) were omitted from ballots in several districts. The Court of Appeal, however, described the appellant’s view of the constitutional provisions as “extremely flawed,” noting that ballot access is naturally limited to parties contesting specific geographical constituencies.
The Court of Appeal also raised issues of material non-disclosure, observing that the appellant failed to mention that the FGM had deliberately chosen not to contest certain regions. The court further agreed with Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC that the challenge should have been brought via an election petition rather than an ordinary appeal, concluding it lacked the authority to pronounce on the validity of the elections in this context. Despite these jurisdictional findings, the court proceeded to rule on the merits, finding no violation of constitutional rights or international covenants.
The judicial ruling has resulted in significant financial penalties for the appellant. The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s order of 1,000,000 to each respondent for the appeal process.
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